2022 Planning

By Ryan Opel (Ryan) on Thursday, March 31, 2022 - 10:43 pm: Edit

Looks like we have enough for two games this year.

I propose Early Beginnings and Winds of Fire (2022).

By Jason E. Schaff (Jschaff297061) on Friday, April 01, 2022 - 09:01 am: Edit

I'm on board with EB and the WoF update.

I'll likely go for EB as my first choice.

By Mike Curtis (Nashvillen) on Friday, April 01, 2022 - 10:43 am: Edit

EB for me and I will supply counters.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Friday, April 01, 2022 - 03:23 pm: Edit

WOF really? HUGE Set up.

I would suggest some Civil War scenarios...War of Return or Lyran Civ War or Rom Civ War (or all of them since they go quickly and have fewer players) Wecould play multiples and then switch players and sides too. Also smaller set up areas (tho we would need a few more tables for the extra locations)

I am checking on the EB maps to bring.

By Daniel Glenn Knipfer (Dgknipfer) on Friday, April 01, 2022 - 10:10 pm: Edit

EB please.

By Robert Martin (Morholt) on Monday, April 11, 2022 - 01:43 pm: Edit

As the newbie this year I am good for whatever everyone else decides.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 - 12:44 pm: Edit

As a side note, does the most recent update to Early Beginnings incorporate any of the "lost empire" playtest material for the Paravians in Captain's Log #48, or for the Carnivons in Captain's Log #51?

By Daniel Glenn Knipfer (Dgknipfer) on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 - 08:33 pm: Edit

Speaking of Early Beginnings; who has the latest rule set?

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Thursday, April 21, 2022 - 01:19 am: Edit

Tim is working on an updated set from our game and post game discussion this past weekend. You should know with RL events they haven't purchased ME or TO (the last two modules) or any of the updated rules so the EB rules have not been rebalanced or included the units there. If we decide to play in Texas it will have to leave those units out unless Tim gets some time and buys the rules.

There are some key things to consider. the introduction of the new variants of z-DD, L-CL & FF and G-FF unbalance the current set. There are no options for the X-mauler techs and the rules do not reflect the current additions of SRL or Leaders.

By Mike Curtis (Nashvillen) on Thursday, April 21, 2022 - 10:28 am: Edit

That is good to know. That means I don't have to punch, clip, and sort the ME and TO counters before Stratcon!

Still working on the hex grid. My plotter at work is in need of service and is not cooperating...

By Daniel Glenn Knipfer (Dgknipfer) on Thursday, April 21, 2022 - 07:18 pm: Edit

Leaders are pretty much self balancing since the counters and free upgrades simply replace the older rule of every 3rd CW. So that shouldn't be an issue.

As for the new Z, L, and G variants; I don't see much of a problem. The added units were scouts and troop ships mostly. With it being EB, building those variants is not significantly disruptive as the Z-DD and L-CL are slightly expensive at 6 EP, and the G-FF is fragile. Ships have been added to the game for years without seriously disrupting balance in EB. How disruptive is a Z-DDS or a L-CLS in comparison to other ships that have been added over the years?

Don't forget that fast CWs and DDs will be an issue that needs accounted for if TO is added.

The X-Maulers though; that is going to be disruptive. Also, I was rather looking forward to random minor powers actually being Vudar, Seltorian, and LDR. And having the Civil War counters for other random minor powers would be cool. If Mike doesn't clip his counters we won't be able to do that.

By Mike Curtis (Nashvillen) on Friday, April 22, 2022 - 10:26 am: Edit

Ok, I have the correct hex grid and the right mega-hex size. Now to line up an acrylic dealer in a nearby town to make the hexes.

I may, depending on price, make two sets and one of them will be available for sale at my cost at the event. Any interest?

If we add the MEs in for random stuff we can do that on the fly as needed. I will bring the sheets with me.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Friday, April 22, 2022 - 01:34 pm: Edit

Dan, the EB rules as stated allow for the Lyrans to survey with no penalty for warhull units...this was due mainly to the lack of the smaller variants CL, DD, FF units for them. It would be unbalancing to just let it fly as it is.

The G-FF likely wont be an issue by itself.

SRLs might have an effect but they already existed for some so might just be balancing. (All the biggies have them now except the Lyran)

The VT and E3 are not accounted for in EB and are super cheap (giving the Klingons and Feds an edge)...I have suggested maybe they require POL tech to exist so at least there is a cost structure. Tim is looking at it and whether or not it should be limited production for this scenario.

Yes Fast ship extensions will complicate things (including the Fast Fed Carrier groups)

As for the ME stuff. We did play with them as NPRs. Tim rolled a Minor NPR that we used the LDR for. All in all it worked well that way. Just wouldn't advise we use them as a player run entity (untested in the scenario means possibly unbalanced). No special techs or rules have been devised for them.

By Daniel Glenn Knipfer (Dgknipfer) on Saturday, April 23, 2022 - 05:09 pm: Edit

Ah, the last EB rules I had did not allow the Lyran to ignore the war hull penalty. Quite a few things must have changed since I last received a copy of the rules Tim puts out.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Monday, April 25, 2022 - 10:51 am: Edit

Maybe its a remnant of the rule change or an addition made in the current version 6.x from 5.x reducing the number of tech discounts but it is there in the Survey section noted under the table.

By Daniel Glenn Knipfer (Dgknipfer) on Monday, April 25, 2022 - 06:54 pm: Edit

I think 4.5 was the last set I got from Tim. We've played around with our own version here; to include completely rebuilding the production tree to be more flexible for players.

That's the nice thing about EB. It can be what a player group wants it to be.

By Gary Carney (Nerroth) on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 - 12:40 am: Edit

Another "side note": has the EB scenario been updated to account for the "Middle Years" era restrictions printed in Captain's Log #52?

Those rules expand upon the limitations imposed by the Four Powers War scenario in F&E Fighter Operations, but are offered as a template for other "Middle Years" scenarios one might wish to set up.

And, if so, is there a particular point at which a given empire is said to develop the "standard" economic and logistical rules that are historically in place by the onset of the General War?

By Daniel Glenn Knipfer (Dgknipfer) on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 - 05:33 pm: Edit

I do not think that the Middle Years restrictions will apply to EB. In EB you are always on a wartime economy, there is no economic exhaustion, and players build what units they want within the limit of what technology (including production) they have developed. You start from a single hex and expand out from there exploring the universe around you. You develop provinces, find potential colony sites, then develop those into colonies that hopefully grow first into minor planets, and if you're lucky into major planets.

Economic growth is built into the EB system. So are movement and supply ranges, which you must develop as an improving tech.

By Mike Curtis (Nashvillen) on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 - 04:21 pm: Edit

^What Dan said. Get a copy of the rules and read them. They are pretty good.

By Daniel Glenn Knipfer (Dgknipfer) on Thursday, April 28, 2022 - 10:31 pm: Edit

Any word on when Tim thinks the latest and greatest version update will be ready for us? Lar said he thinks Tim is working on a rule update right now.

By Lawrence Bergen (Lar) on Friday, April 29, 2022 - 01:40 am: Edit

I have 6.1...he is working on 6.2. We (Tim, Jimi, and I) are going to meet in May to work on them.

By Daniel Glenn Knipfer (Dgknipfer) on Friday, April 29, 2022 - 06:35 pm: Edit

Cool

By Daniel Glenn Knipfer (Dgknipfer) on Friday, April 29, 2022 - 08:01 pm: Edit

Is 6.1 loaded up somewhere on the BBS, or do I need somebody to send it to me?

By Mike Curtis (Nashvillen) on Thursday, May 05, 2022 - 10:17 am: Edit

Move me down from F8 to F5. I have had some serious damage to my vehicle from off-roading which may cost several thousands of dollars. I may not be able to afford the trip to Amarillo once I am done with the repairs.